Page 20 of Silent Echo

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Now

M y things are all packed and in the car. I’ll take care of Sebastion’s room tomorrow. I pick up my phone and call my sister.

“Hey there, how’s it going?” she answers.

“Not so great. You remember I told you about Sebastion’s birth mom getting out of rehab?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, she’s tracked us down. I’ve already called my landlord and Venomed her one month’s rent to terminate and said she could keep the security deposit.

You know I always fulfill my obligations.

I let her know that I deducted the cost of the carbon monoxide detectors I’d had to buy when we moved.

She’s lucky that I didn’t report her for the violation. ”

Nora laughs. “Still making sure everyone follows the rules.”

“You know my motto, rules are there to keep society in order. Can you book us a place to stay until we get settled? One of those places with a kitchenette, washer, and dryer? An Airbnb in your name so we don’t have to show ID when we check in?”

“I guess so. I don’t understand why you have to keep running like this. Sebastion’s mom lost her parental rights. Couldn’t you have her arrested if she tries to come near Sebastion?”

“It’s not that. I don’t want him getting all upset.

It’s taken me months to help him forget about her and embrace his new life with me.

His therapist said it’s imperative that she have no contact with him.

It could really set him back. We’ve had to do so much work.

It’s why I haven’t even brought him to meet you and the kids yet.

” There is no therapist, of course, but I’ve read enough books about this kind of thing to know that what I’m saying is true.

“Don’t get mad, but are you sure it’s good for him never to see her again? I don’t mean for you to ever give her custody back, but he may want to know her one day.”

Annoyance bubbles up, but I keep my voice even.

“I’m not the one who terminated her rights.

The court had good reason. You have to remember, he’s a traumatized child.

The first few years of his life were spent neglected and malnourished.

Who knows who his mother had in and out of that horrible rattrap she lived in.

I’ve had him for almost a year, and he’s finally a happy little boy.

Remember how Mom and Dad were and multiply that by a hundred.

I’m never going to subject him to her influence again. ”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be insensitive. When do you think you’ll get here?”

“We’ll leave in the morning. I haven’t told Sebastion that we’re moving yet. But I know when I tell him he’ll meet more family, he’ll be really excited.”

“I can’t wait to meet him, Pen. I still can’t believe you’re a mother!”

“You’re going to love him. Listen, please remind Frank and the boys not to say anything about his being adopted.”

“Okay, but don’t you think you’ll have to tell him one day? Is that really fair to him?”

I grind my teeth and sigh. “Of course he knows he’s adopted. He wasn’t a baby when I got him. But we don’t talk about it anymore. We’re leaving the past in the past. That’s all I’m saying.”

“Okay, okay.”

I love my sister, but sometimes she can be so obtuse. We hang up, and I go to Sebastion’s room. I gently nudge his shoulder. “Wake up, sleepyhead. I have a surprise.”

He rubs his eyes and looks at me. “What?”

“We’re going to meet your Aunt Nora, Uncle Frank, and … three cousins!”

“I have cousins?”

“Yes, all boys: Mario, Phillip, and Anthony. Anthony is only a couple of years older than you are.”

“I don’t remember them.”

“You’re going to have so much fun. They have a built-in pool and a trampoline. Come on, go brush your teeth and wash up.”

He gets out of bed and goes into the bathroom. I rush to his closet and throw things into some suitcases.

When he comes out of the bathroom, I’ve already laid out a pair of shorts and a shirt for him.

He looks around the room and notices that his stuffed animals and the posters on the wall are gone.

“Where’s my stuff?”

“I packed it. We’re moving closer to my sister so we can be near family. About two hours away, in Stuart. You’re going to love it.”

“I don’t wanna move. What about my friends and my classes?”

Damn that Sofi. I hate to uproot him again, but there’s no way we can stay here. For all I know, Charlotte is already on her way here, and if she gets the authorities involved, it won’t be hard to track us down.

“I know, honey. It’s not easy to move. But you’ll make lots of new friends, and we’ll find a new homeschool group.”

He stomps his foot on the ground and crosses his arms. “No. I like it here.”

I think fast. The only thing I come up with is a way to appeal to the fear of the police I’ve instilled in him.

“I do too, but the police are shutting down the homeschool classes because the school system is mad that we’re homeschooling.

The police lied and said the mommies were stealing things.

If we don’t leave, they’ll think we’re a part of it and arrest us too.

They’ll put me in jail, and you’ll go to jail for little boys. We have to leave before they find us.”

“Oh no!” he says as he grabs my hand. “I’m scared.”

“It’s okay. I’ll always protect you, but we have to hurry and go now.”

He helps me as we grab the last of our things and put them in the car.

I lock the door and leave the key under the mat.

I hope we’ll have better luck in Stuart.

If Charlotte discovers that he’s still alive, she’ll never stop until she finds him.

She’ll paint me as a criminal. But I’m just a woman doing her best to protect the child that fate determined should belong to her.

I can’t let Charlotte find us and take him back. He doesn’t belong to her anymore.

We get in the car and drive off. We’re almost to the end of the street when I notice a car pulling up to our house and parking. I press the gas and forge ahead.